Kiko's Story
by Kiko Kamia
Summary: Kiko is a new girl, with a big secret. She has powers, but can't control them very well. For some reason, X.A.N.A. knows about her, and targets her in an attack. Why? Read and find out!
1. Default Chapter

**Prelude**

_This is the diary of Kiko Kamia. Stay out._

_September 3, 2004_

_I arrived at Kadic today. The school is so huge! I'm a freshman this year. My dorm number is 45-C. You see the letters go in order, 7th graders are A's, 8th graders are B's, and . . . well you get the picture. In the room on my left (44-C), there are two guys, their names are Od and Ulrich, they're also freshmen. They're friends with two other kids here at school named Jeremie (who is also in 9th grade) and Yumi (who is a 10th grade day student). They are my only friends so far. Anyways, in the room on my right (46-C) is Sissy, the principal's daughter. She's a stuck up witch. Anyways I'd better go down for supper. I'm starving. Kiko_

**Chapter One**

**Introductions**

The door to Ms. Hertz's classroom opened and a hand coming from the hallway beckoned for the old woman to come into the hall. When the door shut behind her, all the students started to wonder out loud what might be the cause of the interruption.

"What could it be, huh?" Od asked Ulrich and Jeremie.

"Uh oh, what if they found out about Kiwi . . . or y'know . . . X.A.N.A?" Ulrich asked sounding frantic.

"No," Jeremie replied calmly ", if it was any of those things they would've called us out with them. My guess is that this has nothing to do with us."

Just as he finished talking Ms. Hertz and a Japanese girl who was dressed in an orange tank-top and shorts walked into the room, and it became deathly quiet. At first sight, the three boys thought that Yumi was standing in the front of their class room, but at a second glance, they noticed the girl in question had much longer hair, and was about two inches shorter.

"Class," the old woman called, but there was no need to get anyone's attention ", this is Kiko Kamia. She's just moved here from Tokyo, Japan. Isn't that right Kiko?" The girl nodded shyly. "Anyways," Ms. Hertz continued ", I'm sure you'll all do your best to make her feel welcome." Then Ms. Hertz turned and spoke quietly to the girl and motioned to Od & company, Kiko nodded and walked up to the threesome.

"Hi," Kiko said smiling ", I guess you already know my name, but I'm supposed to join your group. Is that okay?" The three boys nodded, still stunned at the resemblance and began to explain the experiment they had been conducting.

Half an hour later the bell rang for lunch, as the students gathered their materials Od came up behind Kiko followed by Ulrich and Jeremie. "Hey, Kiko," Od said ", how'd 'ya like to eat lunch with us? We could give you some help with your schedule if you like. Besides, after you've been hanging out with us, you'll need to watch out for Sissy the sissy."

"Sure, I'd love to eat lunch with you guys," Kiko replied ", and I'd really like to know more about the teachers I'll have, but one thing . . ." she trailed off. The boys looked at her expectantly. "Can you actually call what they serve in your cafeteria 'food'?" All three looked at each other, then looked at her, then they all walked along laughing like old friends.

When they had all gotten their food, Ulrich and Jeremie sat down on one side of the table, and Od and Kiko sat on the other. After a few minutes of eating, the four started to look at Kiko's schedule, as fate would have it, Kiko had exactly the same classes at the exact same time as her three new friends. They were pondering the phenomenon when a girl's voice startled them from the side.

"Hey, what's going on, huh? Oh . . . Hi, who are you?" the newcomer addressed the last part to her look-alike in orange. She was just as startled at the resemblance between herself and the stranger, as the boys had been just thirty minutes before.

"Hiya, Yumi," Od said addressing the Japanese girl in black ", meet your clone, Kiko. She's new here. Kiko, this is Yumi. She's a tenth grade day student here." Yumi and Kiko shook hands, then Yumi went over by Ulrich, set her tray down, and gave the brunette a hug, then sat down next to him.

As the five finished their lunches, they asked Kiko where her dorm room was. When all of the listeners gave a surprised gasp, Kiko asked what it was. "That's the dorm next to ours!" Od and Ulrich exclaimed.

Fifteen minutes later the four 9th graders were walking out to the athletic field for Phy. Ed. when out of nowhere, several power-lines broke and wrapped themselves around Kiko beginning to strangle her! Od and Ulrich pulled off the lines, while Jeremie helped Kiko get away. "X.A.N.A!" the three whispered simultaneously. While they spoke, more lines snapped and began to harass Kiko.

Od and Ulrich got on either side of Kiko and kept hitting the live wires away from the terrified girl not taking much notice to the fact that the attack wasn't aimed at them for once, but at a new girl. Jeremie ran ahead shouting to the others to get to the factory, and to hurry before a teacher found them, so the boys to the park still protecting Kiko.

In the middle of the park, the group paused before a manhole, Ulrich removed the cover and climbed down into the sewers. After some encouragement, Kiko climbed down, followed by Od and then Jeremie. Every person grabbed a skateboard or scooter, then took off through the sewer tunnels then came to a stop next to a ladder up to the surface.

Od climbed up the ladder, slid open the cover, and when he saw everything was clear he climbed out of the hole. He reached down, and as he took Kiko's hand . . . he paused, and his face went blank, as if he was trying to understand the concept of relativity.

_They were on Lyoko, fighting a group of seven crabs. They were all there Yumi, Ulrich, Aelita, himself, and another girl . . . a ninja it seemed . . . with a mask covering all but her eyes, her suit was black with orange flames, at her side was a pack of throwing stars. Yumi, Ulrich, and Od took out a block a piece untill there were six left, then the ninja threw a hand-full throwing stars, destroying the final four crabs. When the final crab exploded, all the warriors celebrated, and in the celebration the ninja removed her mask revealing the face of . . . **"Kiko!"**_ Od exclaimed.


	2. The Secret Revealed

**Chapter Two**

**The Secret Revealed**

"What?! What'd I do?" Kiko asked as Od helped her exit the sewers. She was confused, why had his face gone blank like that, and why did Od seem to be hiding something from her?

"Nothing," Od replied quickly regaining his composure ", I just thought I saw a rat next to your foot . . . my bad." The young man felt awful lying to Kiko, she was totally in the dark about why she had been attacked, but now it made perfect sense to him, his vision had explained it all . . . X.A.N.A. had a new enemy.

By the time Od was done thinking, all four were out of the sewer, on solid ground again, and running across the bridge into the factory. Kiko followed the boys down the ropes hanging from the ceiling, into an elevator, and down into a strange blue room. Jeremie sat down in a chair which moved to line the blonde genius up with a large computer console. The other two boys walked off to the side, and sat down, leaning on the wall behind the computer. Kiko stayed in the same spot where she had stepped off the elevator, totally bewildered.

"Hey, what'chya waiting for huh? A written invitation? Come sit down over here!" Od said patting the floor between him and Ulrich.

"Yah," Ulrich added ", Od just took a shower, so he doesn't stink . . . yet." Od punched at his friend, but smiled while doing so. When she shook her head, the two came to where she was standing motionless, took an arm apiece, and dragged her to where they'd been sitting just thirty seconds ago. Then they sat down, and in doing so, forced her to sit down between them.

"Oof! Ouch!" She cried as her rear hit the pavement . . . hard. "Thanks guys, now that I've bruised my butt, I can go to sleep happy tonight."

"Aww, what'do ya want me to do," asked Od jokingly ", kiss it? 'Ynow, if you'd just come with us in the first place, the whole thing wouldn't have happened." He grinned at Kiko, because all of them knew that for once the goof was correct. Kiko growled, and punched her teaser in the arm, causing him to wince.

A few minutes later, Jeremie called the three to the console. "'Kay guys, I've found the activated tower. I contacted Yumi, and she's on her way, but Kiko used her skateboard, so you'd best take it back and meet her in the park." Jeremie stated, directing the last sentence mostly to Ulrich. He nodded then left in the elevator. "Now," Jeremie said turning to his two remaining friends ", I think it's time we explain what's been going on."

"Yah, I'd really like that," Kiko said, glad to finally have some answers coming her way as to what'd been going on, and how or why she'd been dragged into this mess. At that, Jeremie began to explain about Lyoko, Aelita, X.A.N.A, and the virtualization process, with the occasional comment from Od who was the only one of her tutors who'd actually fought on Lyoko.

"Now," Jeremie said ", what you'll look like on Lyoko, and what your weapons will be are up to you, but your special power isn't in our control, it's 100 random . . . So go ahead, make your choices." Then he got out of the chair, and turned it so Kiko could easily sit down.

It took about two minutes for Kiko to make her choices, these are the choices she made: a black, skintight, sleeveless jumpsuit with orange flames and matching face mask, a shiny orange belt with a pack of 45 razor edged throwing stars, and as a final touch . . . she added orange flame tatoos on her face and up her arms. When she sat back to signal she was done, the two boys looked, and whistled in approval.

"Not to bad," Od said, mesmerized by the tiny figure on the screen ", but you ain't got nothin' on me . . . the amazing CAT BOY!" All of the people in the room laughed, and Jeremie mouthed _J-E-A-L-O-U-S_ behind Od's back. Kiko nodded, and laughed some more.

"Hey, what's so funny huh?" Yumi and Ulrich asked as they walked over to the computer, when the two saw the revolving figure on the screen, their reactions were the same that Od and Jeremie had only a moment before. "Wow," Yumi breathed ",that's awesome. No offense Od, but she totally has you beat in the looks department, and probably in the fighting department too. She could kick your butt . . . not that Ulrich or I couldn't!"

"Yah," Ulrich added ", 'cause by the time we'd get to fight with you on Lyoko . . . you'd only have ten life points left!" That was all it took, everyone in the room fell over laughing (except for Kiko, who was still in the chair).

"Okay guys," Jeremie said, recovering first ", get down into the scanners, you'll be going to the desert region. With this bit of news, the veterans began to groan, then they became quiet.

"Hey genius," Od said, remembering his vision ", there are only three scanners, who's staying behind?" The four teens turned to the smiling boy in glasses.

"There aren't three scanners anymore." He said ",you see . . . I realized this very problem when I started on the materialization program for Aelita. When I did, I figured that we wouldn't unplug X.A.N.A. right away, and that he'd put up a fight before he was destroyed. Anyway, we need Aelita to deactivate the towers, so I started to make a fourth scanner, that I just finished yesterday." Jeremie grinned even wider at the irony of his actions, while his four cheering friends made their way down to the scanner floor.

On the ride down, everyone could see that Kiko was nervous, so Od tried to cheer her up. "Don't worry," he said, hugging Kiko ", nobody's ever been lost on Lyoko . . . except for that one time when Yumi fell into the digital . . ." he trailed off.

"OD!" Ulrich and Yumi yelled as they grabbed Od, and threw him to the floor. "Sorry about him." Yumi said, putting an arm over Kiko's shoulder "You'll be fine, how couldn't you be when you've got the four best guides on Lyoko as friends?"

Kiko opened her mouth to say that there were only four going, and Jeremie wasn't really going to be on Lyoko, when she remembered what she had been told of Aelita. "Alright everyone," Jeremie said, his voice coming to them over a speaker in the room ", get into your scanners. Aelita should be very close by when you get there." The doors on the scanners opened, and everyone stepped inside and turned around. The doors closed. "Transfer . . . Od, transfer . . . Ulrich, Transfer . . . Yumi, Transfer . . . Kiko. Scanner . . . Virtualization."


	3. Lyoko

**Chapter Three**

**Lyoko**

Kiko dropped to the sandy desert ground on her behind "Ouch! That's the second time I've fallen on my butt today!" She looked over her shoulder, and saw her friends had all landed in various forms of crouches.

"Hi, everyone," came a girl's voice. Everyone turned to the pink haired girl that was running toward them.

"Hey, Aelita!" Ulrich said waving. "This is Kiko. Kiko, this is Aelita." The two girls nodded at each other, smiling.

"The activated tower is this way," Aelita said pointing as the ground shook with red ripples running along the path Aelita had pointed. "You see," she said, "the pulsations are stronger, and more intense going through here." Everyone nodded, and took off running along the narrow path with the vibrations . . . nearing closer, and closer to Kiko's first monster encounter.

Just as the group got off the path, they came under attack by the seven crabs Od had seen in his vison. "Aelita," Yumi shouted while pointing to a group of rocks," go hide in there!" Aelita ran, and as the crabs went after her, the four earth kids sprang into action. Od shot three laser arrows, and destroyed one crab. Ulrich jumped up onto the crabs back and plunged his sword into the monster's target, then jumped off just before his crab exploded. Yumi got hit by a laser, then threw her fan at the crab that hurt her, and destroyed it.

"Go for it, Kiko!" Od shouted as he got hit by a set of lasers. "You gotta hit'em right in the target on top!"

Kiko nodded, pulled out four stars, jumped up, then threw the stars at the crabs. All four stumbled around blindly, then blew up.

"Yes! Good job, Kiko!" Od shouted as he and the others ran up to her, then scooped her up in a hug. He was sure that she'd just become an invaluable member of the team.

"Jeremie," Yumi asked," how many life points do we have left?"

"Yumi, 60. Ulrich, 70. Kiko, 100. Aelita, 90. Od, only 20" Jeremie groaned as he told the points lost. Od, as always, was losing life points constantly.

"We'd better get moving." Kiko said, putting her hand on Od's shoulder. The others nodded.

"Guys! What just happened to Od?" Jeremie asked," he just regained all of his life points, and his lost laser arrows."

"The only thing that happened was Kiko placing her hand on my shoulder . . ." Od said, trailing off.

"Kiko, do the same thing you did to Od, to Yumi." Jeremie ordered. _If Kiko can heal, all of these missions on Lyoko will be much easier_, Jeremie thought to himself. Kiko complied with Jeremie's request, and Yumi's life points were restored. "That's it!" Jeremie exclaimed, obviously happy. "Kiko, I'm almost positive that you have the ability to reset everyone's original statistics. In other-words, you can restore life points, and in Od's case, laser arrows." Knowing this, Kiko healed Aelita and Ulrich, then the group began to follow the pulsations again.

When a tower with a red aura came into sight, the group stopped. "Jeremie," Aelita asked," do you see any monsters?"

"No . . . wait a minute. You've got lots of company! Six crabs, twelve roachsters, two mega-tanks, five blocks, and five hornets! Aelita, get out of there . . . now!

The moment Aelita was hidden in a nearby cave. All thirty monsters came into view. Od took out one mega-tank before it fired, and the explosion it caused wiped-out four blocks, and seven roachsters.

Kiko took a short sprint, leapt onto Od's shoulders, then jumped again while throwing several stars. This act destroyed the six crabs, and five hornets. She was about to let another star fly at a roachster, when Jeremie notified her that Ulrich, and Yumi were in trouble.

The ninja ran over a large sand dune to the side where Ulrich and Yumi had been fighting, just in time to see the last mega-tank finish off the pair. "NO!" Kiko cried as she watched the pair disappear side-by-side. The infuriated girl threw a total of six stars at the tank, with such force, that its armor might as well have been Jell-O, and destroyed it.

Kiko felt like crying, until Jeremie told her that Yumi and Ulrich had been devirtualized, and were safely back on earth. Knowing this, she ran back to where she and Od had been fighting, to see the cat-boy frantically dodging the lasers of roachsters. "Hey, Bug Boys!" Kiko shouted from the top of the dune, the five roachsters turned. "EAT METAL!" With those two words, she let ten stars fly, two hitting each monster. The monsters stumbled, then blew up.

"Kiko!" Od shouted," look out behind you!" She turned to see a frazzled block charging up to fire. It had several sword punctures, and a gash from Yumi's fan, but all of the attacks had missed its eyes. Kiko drew a star, threw it, and the block exploded.

Kiko walked down the hill to Od,"Are you alright? Why didn't you get those bugs? Are you out of arrows?"

He nodded "Not only that, but I'm down to ten life points . . ." Od smiled.

"Say no more," Kiko said smiling even wider than Od ", one recharge, comin' right up." She placed her hand on his shoulder, replacing his life points and arrows. "Now, let's go get Aelita." Od nodded, and the duo began a race to the cave enterance.

"Hello, Od . . . Kiko. Did Yumi and Ulrich devirtualize?" Od nodded. "Well, I guess I should go take care of that tower now, right?" This time Kiko nodded.

Before the three steped out of the cave, they checked for monsters, then asked Jeremie if there were any monsters in the area that they might've missed. There weren't any, so the group took off to the tower.

When they arived, Od and Kiko sat down on a pile of rocks, and Aelita went inside. Od turned to Kiko and asked in a serious tone "Kiko, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did!" Kiko giggled, then realized that Od was being serious for the first time since she met him. "Okay, go ahead. Ask me your question."

"You won't get mad?"

"No."

"You'll give me an honest answer?"

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise! Now what is it?"

"Do you . . . ya know . . . like me?" He blurted, then blushed.

"Yah, I like you." Kiko said, confused why this was so embarasing for him.

"I mean as more than a friend."

Kiko was about to answer, when they were swept up in the trip to the past.


	4. Return to the Past

**Chapter Four**

**Return to the Past**

When time resumed, Kiko was back in the girls' locker room. She was shocked as she saw her classmates do the same thing they'd done before, and that she had done the same things before. The only difference this time was that she acted slower to try and avoid Od.

As she left the room, Kiko looked to see if the three guys were waiting for her as they had been before. They were. "Kiko," Jeremie observed, "I've got the strangest feeling that you're trying to avoid us."

"Why would you think that?" Kiko asked innocently.

"For one, you took longer getting out here than last time," Ulrich said, stating the obvious.

"Sorry," Kiko said, ashamed (at least that's what they thought) "the trip into the past gave me a bit of a shock." Od looked at her strangely, causing her to look down. "I feel so dumb. I mean you guys probably never mind it anymore . . ."

"Are you nuts?" Ulrich asked, laughing. "You should've seen Od before we went into the past last time! He was worried, 'cause he was gonna get slapped by Sissy for the second time!" Jeremie nodded while laughing, adding credibility to Ulrich's story.

"Okay, kids," Jim said gruffly. "We're playing soccer today. Now get in alphabetical order, and number off by two's." When the two teams had been formed, Ulrich and Jeremie were on one team, and Kiko and Od on the other. Jim was about to start the game, when he realized that there was an extra kid in his class, but he didn't know who. "All right, what's going on? Who's new here?" He was upset that he hadn't been informed earlier of a new student.

"I am." Kiko replied. Jim looked at her, and then blinked stupidly. _Why is Yumi in my class? Wait, that's not Yumi, it's another girl!_

"What's your name?" Jim asked picking up a pen and his grade book.

"Kiko Kamia."

"Where are you from?"

"Tokyo, Japan."

Jim scribbled in the name then asked, "Do you know how to play soccer?"

"Yes. I was my school's star player, back in Tokyo."

"Oh really? Well maybe we should devote this hour to a showdown between you and Ulrich, our star player. Do you know him yet?" Jim was thinking while he spoke about the obvious potential of this girl. _Who knows, she may become Kadic's first female varsity soccer player_, Jim thought.

"Yah, I know him, and no . . . I don't mind having a face-off, I think it would be fun."

"All right then, kids, we've got a slight change of plans . . . we're going to have a battle of the best, Ulrich vs. Kiko. Now choose your goalies."

Ulrich chose Od, and Kiko chose Jeremie. "Hey, Kiko," Ulrich said," how 'bout we make this match a little more interesting . . . do you want to make a bet?"

"Sure, if Jeremie and I win . . ." Kiko paused to think of something to force the two guys to do, then smiled "If we win . . . you and Od need to wear dresses, high heels, and make up for one week." Jeremie nodded, to show that he approved. Everyone looked at her amazed, this was an unprecedented wager, then they looked to Ulrich to see what he would think of to combat this expression of confidence.

"All right, if Od and I win, you two have to eat whatever gross concoctions we make from the cafeteria food." Ulrich grinned at his idea, sure that Jeremie and Kiko would back out, but they didn't, in fact, the challengers looked even more ready to win, and that scared the "champs."

Jim told Od and Jeremie to go down to the goals they were guarding, then called Kiko and Ulrich to center field. The two players put one foot by the ball, then shook hands, with stony faces.

"Don't expect me to take it easy on you just 'cause you're new, Kiko." Ulrich said, competition bright in his eyes.

"Okay, as long as you don't expect me to take it easy on you 'cause you're a guy." Kiko said, accidentally louder than she meant to. A loud mix of gasps and giggles came from their classmates, and to the surprise of all . . . Jim.

Jim stepped off to the sidelines, and then blew his whistle to start the match.


	5. Soccer Match

**Chapter 5 **

**Soccer Match**

Ulrich lunged for the ball, and kicked, but all he got was air. At that same time, Kiko took off full speed to the other end of the field. _How did she do that?_ Ulrich asked himself as he tried to catch up to Kiko. _I've never seen anyone move that fast, not even on Lyoko!_

Kiko ran at the goal, dribbling the ball before her, she drew her leg back, then kicked the ball into the goal. Od dove for the ball about ten seconds late, and all he got was a mouthful of grass.

This pattern kept up until Kiko literary gave Ulrich a goal, making the score 20-1. Except for that freebie, Ulrich hardly touched the ball. Everyone was amazed at Kiko's speed, accuracy, and domination of the field.

When Jim finally called off the slaughter, the score was 25-1. "All right that was interesting, now everybody that wasn't out on the field get stretching. We're going to start a real game now. Kiko, I'd like you to come over here." "Kiko," Jim started, still amazed at her talent, "would you like to join the school's soccer team? You'd undoubtably be on the starting line-up, and you might get a college scholarship."

"I don't know, can I think about it?" Kiko wasn't sure that she liked the idea of being the school's star player, which would also place more romantic pressure on her from certain guys. "Would it be all right if I try to decide tonight, and then tell you tomorrow?"

The teacher nodded, surprised that this child with so much talent didn't want to show off. _Maybe there are reasons she's so modest that I don't know about. Ulrich is modest because of his father, maybe her parents are like that._

"Hey, Kiko," Jeremie asked Kiko as she walked over to her three friends," what did Jim want to talk to you about?"

"He wants me to join the soccer team," Kiko said, obviously depressed," but I don't want to be on the team. I just want to play soccer where and when I want, not on some competitive schedule."

Ulrich, who was still moping from his defeat, added "I know how you feel. Everyone out there expects you to give 110, no matter what. Sometimes I even feel like quitting the team." All of his friends looked at him in awe, usually Ulrich wasn't willing to talk about his feelings when asked about them, but here he was spilling his guts without the slightest provocation.

"Hey, Ulrich," Od asked ", are you feeling okay? You're acting like you have more than your three normal emotions: anger, hate, and L-O-V-E! Ha, ha, ha!" Od's laughter was contagious, and soon the entire class was laughing as opposed to stretching.

"Well," Kiko began, trying to stop her laughing ", what time should I stop by your room? I'll drop off your clothes, then you can change into them, and I'll help you get ready the rest of the way."

"What are you talking about?" the two still giggling boys asked, confused.

_Sheez, I can't believe that these two already forgot about the consequences of their loss, _Kiko thought, she smiled. "Remember? If Jer and I won, you two had to wear dresses, make up, and high heels for a week . . . does that ring any bells?" From the horrified looks on the boys' faces, they did. "Hopefully you two don't own any of those three items, so I'll be helping you get ready for class for a week!" Kiko smiled about as wide as humanly possible, without pulling a face muscle. At this moment, Kiko became aware of Jim's presence behind her.

"You can't be serious!? Jim, do we have to do it?" the boys pleaded, hoping Jim would spare them from the impending embarrassment, but Jim wasn't on their side.

"Sorry, boys . . . but a bet's a bet. Live with it." Nobody knew this, but Jim was glad that the duo would be forced through this ordeal.


	6. Consequences

Hi, all my readers! I just want to give a heads-up to Warrior Pixie, if you thought that my last few chapters almost made you die laughing, then you may want to order a coffin and write your will before you read this, 'cause Kiko gets to have a bit of fun with Ulrich and Od. - And hi to magicalfairy12, thanks for being a big help to me with some of my problems on this story! :D

**Chapter 6 **

**The Consequences **

It was 7:45, before the two boys shamefully left Kiko's room the morning after the soccer match. The two boys looked absolutely ridiculous in the outfits Kiko had chosen. Od was clad in a purple, pleated miniskirt a shiny, black tubetop, and strappy black high-heels. Ulrich's outfit was even funnier. He had a powder-blue halter dress, with white high heels. When Kiko did the boys' makeup, she was a little bit nicer, but not much. She put lavender eyeshadow, tan blush, and purplely-pink lipstick on Od. Ulrich had light-blue eyeshadow, light-pink blush, and pinkish-brown lipstick.

As the guys stepped out, they were greeted by camera flashes and giggles. "Nice look!" Millie, a seventh grade news paper-reporter giggled, as Tamia snapped several pictures. "Just so you know, we'll be here to get pictures every morning this week!" Ulrich and Od looked at each other miserably, not even able to make fun of the other.

"Actually, girls," Kiko said nicely, "this is the only day I'm going to do this to the guys. I didn't know that they would look this pathetic, so I'm gonna let them get totally embarrassed today. Then drop the rest."

"Thank you, Kiko!" Od said, hugging her tightly.

"Yah, Kiko, we both owe you big-time." Ulrich said, also getting in on the hug.

"Ulrich . . . Od . . . if you don't quit hugging me, **RIGHT NOW** . . . I'm going to dress you up for a month." Needless to say, the two pulled away in a matter of seconds.

When they got to the cafeteria for breakfast, Od had tripped twelve times, and Ulrich twenty. The trio picked up what the school called "breakfast," then sat down at their usual table. After about ten minutes, a yawning Jeremie came to the table, who froze in mid-yawn to start laughing. In this laughing fit, Jeremie almost managed to make his french-toast, sausage, milk, and syrup all over Sissy, who squealed in displeasure.

"Ha, ha . . . I'm sorry guys, but . . . you look positively ridiculous." Jeremie said as he tried unsuccessfully to quit laughing.

"Yah, ha, ha, very funny," Od said sarcastically, "but Kiko said that this is the last day she's gonna do this to us."

"Huh, why?" Jeremie asked.

"It's 'cause I only brought two dressy outfits to Kadic, I thought I brought more . . . but I'm such an air head when it comes to packing . . . so I probably left my others at home." Kiko said while shrugging "Of course . . . I could always borrow some clothes from Sissy for you to wear . . ."

"No, no, no, no!" Od whispered in utter horror.

"You've got to be joking," Ulrich said, even more terrified," anything but Sissy's clothes! Nobody is able to be that cruel!"

"If you believe that . . ." Kiko whispered in a low, evil voice "then you don't know me as well as you think you do. Ha, ha, ha! Man, I wish Millie and Tamia had been here to get some pictures of you guys . . . that would've been killer!" Kiko began laughing uncontrollably, while Ulrich and Od looked at each other then glared at the laughing girl.

The rest of breakfast was uneventful with the exception of Sissy finding a fly in her syrup. Their classes were the same as they were every time . . . uneventful and boring. They studied the spectrum of heated elements with spectroscope in Ms. Hertz's class, and learned how to multiply and divide variables in math class.

Yumi had been missing all day, but finally joined up with her friends when lunch started. "Yumi? Are you feeling okay?" Kiko asked her look-alike "You look really pale, maybe you should go to the infirmary." The others looked at Yumi, and then nodded in agreement.

"Kiko's right, Yumi," Ulrich said looking very concerned," you look sick . . . and not in the good way. What's wrong?"

"It's just . . . that my parents are getting a divorce, and they are both moving out of our house we own right now, I'm not sure if I'll still be close enough to come to Kadic every day . . . I may have to quit going to school here!" Yumi said, then broke down bawling on Ulrich's shoulder, and into his Canadian bacon pineapple pizza (personal note: **YUMMY!**).

"Oh my gosh!" Od whispered "If you leave, then you won't be able to fight X.A.N.A. anymore, and you'll be separated from us if he decides to get a little revenge on you . . . this is so bad!"

"Yumi," Kiko asked with a determined glint in her eyes "I never told you this . . . but my room is also a double, and as you do know, I don't have a roommate. You just need to play your cards correctly when you ask your parents if you can board here, then request to the headmaster that you share a room with me!" Kiko smiled wider than she had been before when she was greeted by all around approval.

"You know," Yumi said, hiccupping a bit," that might work! The one thing my parents have been agreeing on is that I should keep going to school here. I'll talk to them tonight. Thanks, Kiko, I'm feeling a lot better now."

"No problem," Kiko said, smiling widely, "that's what friends do, help you when you need it, and celebrate with you when you have a good day. Besides, it'll be nice to kinda have a big sister again." When she said this, the group could instantly tell that the subject of her sister upset her greatly.

"What's wrong?" Od asked softly.

"Yah," Jeremie inquired "why does talking about your sister make you so sad?"

"Nothing . . ." Kiko said, obviously lying," we were in the middle of a huge fight before I came here, and we never said good-bye to her before I left." Everyone who heard this story knew it was a lie, but didn't comment. "Come on, guys," Kiko said getting up from her seat abruptly," we'd better get moving . . . Phy. Ed. is in four minutes," with that, she walked to the trash, dumped her tray, and left without waiting for her friends.

"What's up with her?" Ulrich asked the gang, as they watched Kiko leave "She's being more secretive than I am most of the time!"

"You know," Jeremie said to be totally serious, "usually I'd say you're stretching the truth, but you're right. If we want to find out what the real problem between Kiko and her sister is . . . we'll need to wait until she's ready to tell us, no matter how long that might be." Ulrich, Od, and Yumi nodded in agreement, then they followed Kiko's precedent, and left.


	7. Kiko's Past

**Chapter 7**

**Kiko's Past**

That night, at 10:00, Od knocked on Kiko's door. "Hey, Kiko! Open up, I need to talk to you right now! Come on, open up!"

"Who is it? Do you have any idea of what time it is?" Kiko asked, punctuating every word with a yawn as she opened her door. "Od?" Kiko asked, now fully awake "What is it? Is X.A.N.A. attacking? Did somebody find out about the factory?"

"No, I just need to talk to you about . . . "

"Od, if this is about what you asked on Lyoko . . . I'm not sure yet." Kiko said as she shut the door in the boy's face.

He placed his foot by the doorjamb to prevent the door from becoming closed all of the way, and said "No, it's not that. I just want to talk. Ulrich is asleep, Yumi isn't here, and Jeremie's talking all smart and mushy with Aelita. Please . . . you're my only friend left." He made a sad, puppy face and began to whine.

"Oh . . . fine! Get in here, but you do realize that Ulrich wasn't the only person sleeping, don't you? I was also sleeping until you began banging on my door!" Kiko said, opening the door wide enough for her blonde friend to enter.

"Hang on . . . right back . . . bring someone . . ." Od muttered as he went inside the room he slept in, and came out holding the (sorry Kiwi!) ugliest dog Kiko had ever seen in her life. "Ah, here we go! Kiko, meet my illegal refugee dog Kiwi! Kiwi, this is Kiko, be nice to her . . . okay?" Kiwi yipped, and Od took that as a "yes."

The dog and two humans went inside Kiko's room, shut the door, then they all sat on Kiko's bed. "So what was so important that you had to talk to me now, huh?" Kiwi crawled from Od's lap to Kiko's, and lay down, giving a contented sigh as Kiko began to pet him.

"It's just that you looked so upset when you left lunch, then you wouldn't talk to us in any of our classes, and you didn't even come down for supper . . . I was worried about you. Just like you told Yumi, friends help you when you need it, and celebrate with you when you have a good day. I could tell talking about your sister bummed you out, so I'm here to help you."

"And because you are all curious . . . , am I right?" Kiko asked, smiling for the first time that day since she mentioned her sister. Od was shocked that Kiko knew about their plan, but stayed pleasant. _If the guys want to hear about my past, boy are they in for a big shock. Oh well, maybe it'll help to tell someone about me._ "Okay, go tell the others that you're busted, and if you guys want . . . I'll tell you my story . . . the true one."

Ten minutes later, the entire group was in Jeremie's room, even Aelita. At first, Aelita objected to being present "I won't understand most of what you'll be saying, and besides, if X.A.N.A. captured me, he might find a way to use my knowledge of you against yourself."

"Yah, I know, but I'm not afraid to take that chance, besides, when you get materialized, I'd just to tell you my story then, so why not now?" Kiko said, firmly ending the discussion.

In preparation for the long story ahead of them, Od bought refreshments from the vending-machine outside in the courtyard, and everyone found or made a comfortable place to sit. "All right, Kiko," Yumi said, "we're ready to listen, if you're ready to talk."

Kiko took a deep breath and began "There are some parts of my life that I still don't understand, so bear with me . . . I was born in Tokyo, on October 6th, 1990. I was the second, and the last child my parents had. My big sister, Mieko, is six years older than I am. One day, when I was seven, two different winds began to blow through our house . . . one was blue, and cold, the other was red, and hot. The two circled around Mieko and me, until the red one soaked into my body, and the blue into Mieko's body. Then it was all over." Kiko stopped and took a sip of the tea Od had brought for her.

"When Mieko's 14th birthday came around, strange things began to happen when she felt strong emotions . . . frozen cake, chairs, presents, and decorations were everywhere. My parents canceled Mieko's party, because they didn't understand what was going on. Then the occurrences became stranger, and more common . . . on hot days, a cool breeze would always be blowing near Mieko, or a drink that burnt Mieko's mouth, suddenly turned to solid. It was then, that my parents decided that Mieko must have somehow gained the power to control ice with her desires, and wishes. When they told Mieko this, she took it in stride . . . she learned how to control her new found powers. One day when she was bored, she began to experiment with her powers. She discovered that she could temporarily freeze time, or an object." At this point, Kiko took another sip of tea, and to look at her friends, stiff with shock.

"When my 14th birthday came, my parents thought they were ready. They held my party a week early, and told everyone that we'd be on holiday for my birthday. Everything went as my parents planed with the exclusion of one little thing . . . instead of frozen cake. Mine was burning! Whenever I felt strong emotion, something caught fire, so my parents came to the quick conclusion that I could control fire." To prove this fact, Kiko took a sheet of blank paper, crumpled it up, placed it in the palm of her hand, and closed her eyes in concentration . . . the paper burst into flame.

"Cool," Kiko's earth friends breathed, while Aelita tried to remember why this was all so familiar to her. The whole group was mesmerized as the flames formed hearts, circles, flowers, and even the Lyoko symbol. Abruptly as the flames appeared, they disappeared, leaving not ashes, but the paper ball Kiko had made before.

"Mieko and my parents tried to help me learn how to control my powers, but no matter what I couldn't control them for more than two hours at a time. I learned that if I took a drink of some liquid, it would suppress my powers for another two hours. One day in Home. Ed. a bunch of jerks started to pick on me, and it was getting close to the time that I'd have to take another drink. Anyway, I didn't realize it, but I set all of the fabric we were using to make a class quilt on fire . . . my entire school burned to the ground. My parents were so mad at me, and worried that someone might discover that Mieko and I were different, and that I had been the one who caused the school to burn down. So they sent me here, where nobody knew me . . . I was basically banished. Before I left, my sister said that I was evil, because I couldn't control my powers, and that I caused our school to burn down on purpose, that's why I don't like to talk about Mieko."

"Kiko," Aelita asked, speaking for the first time since Kiko's story had started, "considering your sister could stop time . . . shouldn't you be able to speed time, just like fire and ice are opposites?"

"Yah, I forgot that part. When I want to . . . I can go really fast, so it's like everything is moving in slow motion," Kiko said, cracking a small grin.

"That's why you were so fast during the soccer match yesterday!?" Ulrich exclaimed.

Kiko nodded shamefully "Yah, I did use my powers a bit during our match, but I couldn't miss the chance to embarrass you two by dressing you guys up." Yumi, Jeremie, and Kiko giggled remembering the sight, while Ulrich and Od scowled.

"What are you talking about?" Aelita asked _very_ confused "Why are you three laughing, and you two so mad?"

"It's nothing, just a mean thing Kiko did to us, that a lot of people found funny" Od said to Aelita hastily.

"Here, Aelita," Kiko said, while digging in her pockets "look for your self. That's not so embarrassing . . . is it?" Od and Ulrich lunged at Kiko to stop her from showing the picture Millie had taken to Aelita, but it was too late, Aelita had already seen the snapshot.

"I see why the two of you are so embarrassed," Aelita giggled," you look ridiculous!" The two boys sulked back to where they had been sitting and consoled themselves by petting Kiwi. After a few minutes, Yumi, Od, Ulrich, and Kiko left. It had been decided that Yumi would stay with Kiko for the rest of the night, so she wouldn't disturb her parents.

"I understand that the winds gave Kiko and her sister their powers," Jeremie said to Aelita before he went to sleep ", but what I don't understand, is where the winds came from, and who or what sent them."


	8. XANA's Hardest Strike

Hi, everyone! This is a bit of a warning, that this chapter reveals my darker writing, but don't cry! I promise in the end, everyone but X.A.N.A. will be fine. Enjoy the chapter . . . and please review! And an extra thanks to magicalfairy12, and to Raven's Wolf for reviewing my story the most.

**Chapter 8**

**X.A.N.A.'s Hardest Strike**

X.A.N.A. sat in his yet to be discovered ice lair in the polar region, fuming over his failed attempt at eliminating Kiko. All of his monsters hated when X.A.N.A. was defeated, he stormed around, trampling anything that got in the way of his great hooves. X.A.N.A. looked like a giant, red, winged horse with a black mane and tail, and horns growing out of his forehead. His most famous feature among his troops was his eyes, which were blood red, with black Lyoko symbols. His eyes could see anything that was happening . . . anywhere. "I can't let that girl find out the truth about her past, it would be dangerous for me. She's already told her friends what she knows, but that won't do her much good. That darn Aelita had to foil everything, by changing Mieko's destiny. If only my essence had been absorbed by both of the sisters, then everything would be perfect . . . but at least I got the darker sister." X.A.N.A. sat down on his ice throne and continued to rant to himself. "I suppose this isn't all bad . . . Aelita's memory of the whole ordeal was deleted, and I'm the only one who can release Kiko from my control, and that's if I do it willingly! Hah! As if that will ever happen! Kiko is my pawn until she dies!"

Back in room 45-C, at Kadic, Kiko slept restlessly, constantly tossing and turning. Then at exactly 12:00 pm, Kiko sat straight up in bed, her eyes like X.A.N.A.'s "Ah, that's much better," Kiko/X.A.N.A. said "Now to start my master plan seven years in the making!"

"Jeremie, Jeremie! Wake up! X.A.N.A.'s attacking! The pulsations are so strong, that in some areas . . . the ground is cracking!" Aelita was very scared, nothing like this had ever happened before, at least not that Aelita had remembered. _Wait, I seem to vaguely remember something like this that happened about . . . seven years ago!_ "Jeremie, X.A.N.A.'s going after Kiko! It may be to late already!"

"What are you talking about?" Jeremie asked, trying to get over to his computer, while putting his glasses on. "How is X.A.N.A. going after her, and how do you know?"

"Everything is like the day of X.A.N.A.'s first attack, about seven years ago. He tried to send two red, hot winds, his essences to earth. I knew that something was wrong, so I tried to change the winds into the opposite of what they were. I only had enough time to change one to a cold, blue wind, but the other got away." Aelita told Jeremie. "I'm almost positive that Kiko got hit by X.A.N.A.'s essence, and that X.A.N.A. has had partial control of her over all these years."

"If X.A.N.A. has been controlling her, then why hasn't the scan ever picked up an extra activated tower? Unless . . . unless those winds were a direct extension of himself, or the tower is cloaked. We've got to go help her . . . now!" Jeremie exclaimed. "I'll go get the others, and we'll head for the factory. You get in a tower, and stay there until the others come."

"Okay, Jeremie," Aelita said, looking very worried, "just remember that Kiko isn't herself right now. She's X.A.N.A., so she may attack you, or anyone else." Jeremie nodded, and then went to wake the others.

"I don't understand," Yumi said as the four raced through the sewer tunnels," X.A.N.A. took a part of himself, and put it in Kiko, and now he's using that part to control her? This doesn't make any sense to me!" Now they were at the ladder.

"Now I know how you guys feel all of the time," Jeremie said as he climbed up to the street ", none of this makes sense to me either." The group ran from the manhole, to the factory in record time.

In the lab, Kiko was sitting at the computer. She was setting up the automatic virtualization program to the forest, and changing the settings on her card. Now she was dressed entirely in green camo, and her power was shape-shifting. Knowing that the others would be coming soon, Kiko hurried into the elevator, and down to the scanner room. As soon as she stepped into the scanner, she was transported to the forest region.

"Ha, ha, ha," Kiko laughed as she dropped to the virtual soil in the forest ", my master plan is coming along perfectly. Soon those goodie-goodies will come to protect that annoying Aelita, so she can deactivate my tower, and foil my plan again. It will be then that I strike!"

_No, you can't make me fight against my friends! I won't fight! _"I won't!" Kiko thought, and then shouted when her feelings became very intense, intense enough to break X.A.N.A.'s control on her. In a cruel jolt of pain, X.A.N.A took control of her body again.

"You horrid little brat, why do you keep resisting me, I've been a part of you for half of your life! My essence chose you because you had more dark energy than your sister . . . don't you see? You were chosen by me, and you can be released only by me when I wish to release you. Don't bother trying to fight it . . . it will be much less painful that way." To punctuate his message, X.A.N.A sent another jolt of pain through her body causing Kiko to mentally crumble.

About 5 feet away from the spot where Kiko was standing, Od, Ulrich, and Yumi dropped to the mossy ground. "Okay, Jeremie, what's going on around us? How far to the tower that Aelita's in?" Od asked, keeping everything strictly business. _This is officially the worst trip to Lyoko ever . . . I wish Kiko was here with us._

"We've got a problem," Jeremie said, interrupting Od's thoughts "Kiko's on Lyoko with you, and her card has changed. Now she's nearly invisible, and she can shape-shift. In other words, she could look and fight like anyone from Aelita to X.A.N.A himself, so watch out."

"Well now that my surprise is ruined, there's no reason to shout 'surprise' now . . . is there?" Kiko asked, walking out from behind a tree that had hidden her from view before. Then Kiko transformed into a mega-tank, fired at her friends, and then she returned to her human form. "What's wrong, can't take me on? Augh . . . NO YOU WON'T TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR BODY!" Kiko collapsed in a heap, and then slowly stood again. "I'm sorry guys, I can't shake X.A.N.A.'s control on me, and I just can't stand to fight you." Then Kiko ran, and jumped off of the virtual ground . . . and into the digital void.

Everyone ran to the edge in time to see the last few ripples in the water fade away, and to see a red cloud race away in the direction of the polar region screaming "I'll be back . . . and I'll win!"

Back in the factory, Jeremie was freaking out "What just happened? Why am I not getting any stats on Kiko anymore?" Jeremie had an idea of what might've happened, but he didn't want to think about it . . . his suspicions were confirmed by a sobbing Od. Kiko had committed suicide to save her friends. "Aelita, do you hear me?" Jeremie asked, trying to contain his tears "Everyone's on Lyoko, and there are no monsters appearing on the map . . . it's safe to come out of the tower now."

"Okay, Jeremie, I heard you. Why do you look about ready to cry? What happened?" This innocent question that Aelita asked was all the more it took to start Jeremie's water-works as he relayed the information he had received from Od.

Aelita reacted the same way that Jeremie had, first she was still with shock, and then when her brain had time to react to the severity of the news, she became devastated. "So what you're telling me is that Kiko sacrificed herself to keep us safe from X.A.N.A's plan? I can't believe that it came to that!"

In the forest, Aelita joined her grieving friends near the area where Kiko had jumped, when a single, large hornet came zooming out of the hole. Od was about to shoot it, when it turned into Kiko. "Why all the sad faces," Kiko asked ", I wouldn't leave you guys without saying goodbye. Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" Her friends were surprised that she was acting like nothing had happened, and that she was staying her normal friendly self.

Od was the first one to recover "Kiko!" He shouted as he ran up to her, and gave her a giant hug. "Don't ever do that again, do you know how scared we were?"

"I'm sorry you guys, but I had to scare everyone to make X.A.N.A believe that I was really killing myself so he'd abandon me."

"Why?" Ulrich asked "Why did he have to let you go willingly? You seemed able to regain control on your own."

"Yah, I could regain control, but not permanently. The only way I could truly be freed of X.A.N.A's control was for him to willingly let me go. I figured if I fell into the void, he wouldn't want part of him to be stuck with me, so he'd ditch me. Then I could turn into a hornet then fly back up here."

"Well, now what do we do? The pulsations have stopped here in the forest, where is the tower, Jeremie?" Yumi asked.

"I don't know the scan can't pick anything up." Jeremie was confused, there had to be an activated tower somewhere, but the scans couldn't locate it.

"The tower's in the polar region, along with X.A.N.A," Kiko informed everyone "X.A.N.A kept going on about his secret lair that nobody could find with a tower in it that no scan could pick up." Everyone looked at her in wonder "He kept teasing me in my head, talking about his hidden lair, and where it was located."

"Then what do we do? We need to deactivate that tower to get back to earth." Yumi said.

"I know what we have to do," Kiko said with a vengeful gleam in her eyes "We've got to take the fight to X.A.N.A, now we're on the offensive. Let's go to the polar region."


	9. The Final Battle Part I

**Chapter 9**

**The Final Battle**

**Part I**

**First of all . . . I'm dedicating this chapter to Raven's Wolf, and magicalfairy12, you two are awesome. And I'd like to call an official truce with Purple Pendent and Silver Taurus.**

X.A.N.A's essence flew into the hidden lair, and was absorbed by X.A.N.A. "How do they always beat me? Their intelligence is far from mine, and I control millions of monsters . . ." the evil computer virus was confused, these humans were inferior in every way, so why were they always victorious? In the distance, sounds of monsters blowing up could be heard, the monsters were fighting again. _Why do they always fight for my affection, when I don't care for them at all?_

In a tower in the forest, Kiko was being told how to travel directly tower to tower. When she was confident that she understood the process, Yumi, Ulrich, and Aelita gently dove from the platform leaving Od and Kiko alone. Od was about to jump, when he saw the look on Kiko's face, she was scared. "It's alright, Kiko," Od consoled her ", you just kinda float to the next platform . . . it doesn't hurt a bit." He walked over and touched her shoulder to comfort her. _They were inside of a tower, Kiko said something to him; and then they kissed. _Od snapped out of his trance, and looked at Kiko. This moment was one of the few times that he was glad that he'd never managed to keep his visions from coming true. "What's wrong?" He asked her, hoping his vision would come true right away.

"Well," Kiko began uncertainly "you remember what you asked me the first time I came to Lyoko? I've decided my answer . . ." Kiko trailed off as she walked to the platform's edge", it's yes. Catch me if you can!" With those few words, Kiko dove off of the platform with Od close behind.

On the new platform, Kiko turned to Od and whispered something inaudible, and the boy figured he knew what was coming next. Kiko slowly approached the boy, sensing he already knew her intentions . . . Kiko decided to have a little fun. Od expected a kiss, but what he got was a kick in his shin. "Come on! I said let's get going!" Kiko said, pretending to me upset, and then she leaned in and gave Od the kiss he had been expecting before. Just moments after their lips touched, they pulled apart . . . Aelita had come into the tower to see if the two kissing had arrived yet, and seen the entire thing.

Nobody spoke as they left the tower, it was too cold, and everyone was too embarrassed about what had just happened. The three walked up to where Yumi and Ulrich had been, but they saw nobody. "Hey, Jeremie," Od asked ", where are Yumi and Ulrich? We can't find them anywhere . . . what the?!" Od was knocked over by a white missile, and Kiko moved to protect Aelita from their attacker . . . when Yumi and three Ulriches came charging over the hill on their right, throwing snowballs at their surprised friends.

"What are they doing?" Aelita wondered out loud, as Od and Kiko quickly manufactured some missiles for themselves.

"Here!" Kiko said as she handed several round, compact balls to Aelita. "Throw these at Yumi and Ulrich . . . this is a game on earth called . . ." Kiko trailed off as Od sped past.

"SNOWBALL FIGHT! Yah!" Od yelled as he pelted the four ambushers with snowballs. Kiko ran up beside him and threw her ammunition, while he made new snowballs.

This pattern continued until they heard Aelita call them from behind, they all froze. Aelita had manufactured thousands of perfect snowballs. This wasn't the bad news. The bad news was that Aelita sank to her knees and sent the entire mass at her four friends. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, Aelita this so isn't cool . . . it's totally **cold**!" Yumi shrieked. "Fine, if that's how it's gonna be . . . telekinesis!" Yumi dropped into the same stance as Aelita, and a bright aura covered the four like a giant umbrella.

"What's going on? Why are you all shouting?" Jeremie asked, thinking they were under attack by some of X.A.N.A's monsters. "Nothing's showing up on the holo-map, somebody talk to me!"

"Sorry, Jeremie . . ." Kiko gasped ", Yumi and Ulrich started a big snowball fight, and we explained everything to Aelita. Heh, BIG MISTAKE. She used her powers to make lots of snowballs and send them flying at us . . . Jeremie, it wasn't funny so quit laughing!" Jeremie tried to do what Kiko said, but the whole thought was just too funny.

"Alright everyone," Jeremie said after he recovered from his laughing ", you'd better get a move on, so X.A.N.A doesn't have too much time to react. Kiko, can you tell me what he said about the location of his base?"

Od threw his last snowball, hitting Aelita's arm. "You know what?" Od asked, not waiting for a reply "I actually forgot that we were on Lyoko, it makes me sad to think that this will be the last time that we come here."

"Not really," Kiko replied ", think about it. If we destroy X.A.N.A today, why would we need to unplug anything? When Jeremie finishes the materialization program, we can come here for fun!" Everyone stopped, ever since they'd found out about X.A.N.A, their goal was to materialize Aelita, then unplug everything . . . wiping out all of Lyoko. Now that this new possibility had been exposed . . . everyone pondered what this possibility could mean. "Let's get going, I want to talk to a certain virus about the consequences of using me. It's show time!" With those words, the group took off running . . . to encounter X.A.N.A directly for the first time ever.


	10. The Final Battle Part II

**Chapter 10**

**The Final Battle: Part II**

Looking down into the basin X.A.N.A had described, the teenagers could see regiments of monsters fighting each other, causing the uninvolved creatures to be distracted. The group held a quick conference, and decided that Ulrich would stay with Aelita, incase some monsters found her and decided to have some fun.

"There's only one opening in the cliff, it's over there." Kiko said, pointing at a dark cave. "X.A.N.A's got to be in there . . . somewhere. Hey, Jeremie, do you have a lock on the tower yet? I don't know about you guys, but I'd like to get back to earth."

"Yes, the scan just localized it, and now the holo-map is giving me a map of where you five and X.A.N.A are located. X.A.N.A is on the sixth floor in that cave, and that's where the tower's at too." Jeremie said. "One more thing . . . as far as I can see, there aren't any monsters in X.A.N.A's lair, so once you get in there get up, destroy X.A.N.A, and get Aelita in to deactivate the tower."

"Alright, Jeremie, please keep us posted on everything happening outside, and remember that Ulrich and Aelita are staying behind." Yumi reminded Jeremie. Then the group jumped down into the bowl. They kept along the wall, praying they wouldn't be noticed, or minded by the creatures.

Inside the empty cave, they found an ice staircase that spiraled up towards the next floor. Before they set foot on the staircase, however, the group stopped to check for monsters and talk to Jeremie. Everything was fine, so they continued up to the second floor. This pattern repeated, until they were about to reach floor six, where X.A.N.A and the tower stood.

"This is too easy," Kiko whispered ", X.A.N.A must expect us to be coming, he isn't that dumb."

"Yah," Od said ", unless he really thought that you jumped off for good, and still expects us to be crying in the forest." Yumi nodded, showing her agreement, but Kiko was still wary.

At the landing to the sixth floor, there were four monsters unlike anything they'd ever seen before; they were black horses that had a set of human-like arms sprouting from their shoulders. In their hands, they carried long, sharp spears. "I told you it was too easy!" Kiko screamed as the three ran down the stairs to the fifth level.

"I don't see a target!" Od whispered urgently to his cornered friends. "Where could it . . . never mind." Just like X.A.N.A, these creatures had Lyoko symbols for pupils.

"What do we do? Jeremie, any ideas?" Yumi asked.

"No, I'm sorry. I don't have any information on them yet, but it might work if you hit them in both eyes at once." Jeremie suggested, then began to type furiously to try to discover more information about the creatures.

"Laser Arrow!" "Razor Star!" Od and Kiko yelled, as they attacked the closest monster together. Luck was with them, and the monster was destroyed. While Od and Yumi destroyed one more monster, Kiko finished off the final two.

"I hate to say this, but . . . I TOLD YOU SO!" Kiko said half mad, half joking. Od and Yumi grumbled quietly as they climbed the stairs for the second time, and then screamed just as loud as Kiko when lasers chased them down again. "X.A.N.A you big $!" Kiko shouted. Od and Yumi stared, Kiko had never sworn in front of them before. In fact, they didn't think that she was capable of it, but when she did . . . it was a dozy.

"Ah, so you defeated my elite warriors . . . no mind," spoke an evil voice from above ", you will not leave Lyoko alive!" X.A.N.A came down from the top floor and faced his enemies.

"Actually," Od said with a taunt ", even if we fall into the digital void . . . there is always a way we can be materialized again."

"Oh, shut up!" X.A.N.A said, exasperated, then he shot several lasers from her eyes. Only two hit Yumi, but she devirtualized.

"Uh, oh," Jeremie said, as he calculated the damage X.A.N.A's lasers caused. "Watch out! Those lasers drain 50 life points per hit!"

"Then let's end this battle now! Razor stars, heyah!" Kiko hurled four stars, and they all hit their marks . . . two in each eye, but X.A.N.A remained.

"Nice try, but not good enough. Try some of this!" X.A.N.A gloated, and then shot Kiko's stars back at her. One hit her arm and got stuck in her bone; the others became embedded in the ice.

"Kiko, are you alright?" Od asked, rushing to her side. "Can you get that star out of your arm?"

Kiko gripped the star then jerked it out, not wincing or crying a word. "Don't worry, Od. I'm fine." Kiko stood, then transformed into a hornet, and sprayed X.A.N.A down with the very poison he created.

"Nooooooooo, you can't beat me! I'm the most advanced computer virus ever! Nooooooooo . . ." X.A.N.A cried as he melted into a pile of red and black ooze, revealing a crying Herb!

"Wha . . . is that? You can't be . . . What are you doing here?" Od asked, he was just as shocked as Kiko.

"What is it? What happened?" Jeremie asked. _I am so sick of asking that! Why don't they tell me everything I need to know right away!?_

"It's X.A.N.A! He's really Herb!" Kiko said, very quietly, as if afraid of the truth. "X.A.N.A melted away after I destroyed him, then Herb was just sitting there in the slime, crying . . . "


	11. Explanations

_This is a little apology to the people out there who thought my last two chapters didn't have enough action to be a final battle, and you may not think that this chapter has enough of an explanation, but it's the only name I could think of._

**Chapter 11**

**Explanations**

"Jeremie, can you tell Ulrich and Aelita that it's safe to come in now? Oh, and be sure to warn them about Herb," Kiko directed. _Why do I almost always wind up taking charge? I'm the rookie!_ Herb quit trying, and then stood up, his face was red.

"You haven't beaten me yet! I'm still here!" Herb crowed defiantly. "I've been keeping watch on you ever since you all started coming to this school, I've always known the perfect moment to strike . . . when, and where you're the weakest!"

"Kiss my $$," Kiko snarled ",and here's a little gift you gave me . . . my parents always told me to share . . ." She closed her eyes in concentration, pulled out four stars, and then opened her eyes focusing in on the sharp metal. In a matter of seconds, the stars burst into white-hot flame. Kiko threw the flaming projectiles at Herb, nailing his shirt collar and sleeves to the was.

"What are you going to do to me?" Herb questioned. The boy's face showed only one emotion . . . fear.

"Nothing, yet." Kiko said, still seething at the fact that Herb was the cause of most of her problems, and until they were all present, she couldn't do anything to him.

"Kiko, over here," Od called. "Look at this." Kiko walked to the area where Od's voice had come from, and stopped. "Look behind you," Od called again. Kiko spun around to see . . . nothing, then the wall shivered, and Od walked through. "It's a holo-gram that's hiding a cave. Check it out." Od turned, and went through the wall again. Kiko sighed, then followed.

Inside the room, there were maps of the towers, the school, and of the world. When Kiko looked at the map of the school, she gasped. There was a skull and cross-bones drawn over the dorm rooms that she and her friends stayed in.

"Oh my gosh . . . Kiko, look at this!" Od exclaimed. When Kiko saw what Od had found, she gasped again. There was a control panel that read "Robot Herb", and a monitor right above that. The screen showed the lunch room from the robot's point of view. "AUTO-PILOT" showed in green, block letters in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Kiko asked, drawing circles around a button labeled _self-destruct._

"We can't, he'd blow up in the middle of the lunch room!" Od reprimanded, but his eyes shown with childish mischief. "If we did push that button . . . everyone would find out that he was a robot!"

"Come on! The power will run out sooner or later, then what? Everyone will think he's dead, and then an autopsy will show he was a robot. Think of the news stories!" Kiko said, and then pouted. "Please? We can do it when Ulrich and Aelita come . . ."

"Od? Kiko? Where are you? Holy guacamole! X.A.N.A. really is Herb!" Ulrich exclaimed. Od and Kiko stepped out of the room. "Whoa, where'd you come from?"

"You two should really look in there," Kiko said, pointing to the hologram wall. "It'll blow your minds." Ulrich and Aelita went into the room and looked around for a while, then came out with the same expression the other two had a while before.

"Okay, Jeremie, we're all here . . . so what should we do with our little captive? We can't just let him go!" Kiko said, obviously wanting to hurt the sniveling, zit-faced, nerd.

"I think we should press some answers out of him first," Yumi's voice came ", then you guys can do what ever you want. Man, I wish I was on Lyoko right now!" After a bit more discussion, the idea was approved by one and all.

The four stars were removed, and the two boys forced Herb to stand up, and the girls stood in front of him. No matter what they did, no useful information passed across Herb's lips.

"That's it," Kiko said, after ten minutes of failure ",he isn't going to say anything. Let's hurt him now!"

"Wait a minute," Jeremie said ", give me a bit to change his virtual programming . . . that way, when he looses all of his life-points, he won't come here . . . but he'll be permanently deleted."

Od and Ulrich dropped Herb on the ground, and stepped back to form a box around the coward with the girl's help. "Okay," Jeremie said ", go ahead. When he disappears, he'll be gone for good. The same with anything he's created."

"Yes!" The three earth kids cheered. "It's soooo payback time!"

"Let's be slightly fair," Ulrich suggested. "We'll give him a ten second head start . . . then you're toast."

_This is gonna be so much fun! _Kiko thought happily. _I wonder if this will take away my powers. _"Wait," Kiko said, grabbing the fleeing boy by his shirt. "What about my sister? Why are her powers different than mine, and will both of our powers be taken away?" Flames shot from all over Kiko's body, showing how angry she was.

"Your sister's powers aren't controlled by me, they're connected to her!" Herb whined, pointing to Aelita. "She's the source of your sister's powers. Your powers existed inside of you all along; I just brought them out, and made them harder to control."

Kiko let Herb go, then made as if to walk away, then nailed the figure with a spinning back-kick. "Let the games begin!" Kiko shouted, releasing five stars into the fallen figure's body.

"Fifty life points left!" Jeremie told his friends. "Forty, thirty, twenty, just ten left!"

"May I?" Aelita asked just as Ulrich was about to slash at the cyber human. Ulrich stepped back, and nodded. Aelita went to her knees and hummed, as she did, a giant ice sickle on the ceiling shook, and fell squarely on their enemy. With a giant poof, Herb disappeared. In the background, the thousands of monsters exploded.

"Go a head Aelita . . . I'd like to get back to earth as soon as possible," Od yawned. "I've got a date with my pillow that was interrupted by this whole mess."

"Alright, here I go," Aelita smiled, walking into the tower on the right side of the room. "I'll hurry."

Ulrich looked strangely at Od and Kiko then asked "Are you two in love or something? You're almost always together . . . and you keep looking at each other like Aelita and Jeremie do." The two being confronted blushed, and then both nodded.

"You shouldn't be talking, Ulrich! It's not like everyone doesn't know that you and Yumi like each other . . . at least we don't try to hide it so much." Kiko snapped, saying this a bit sharper than she intended to.

"I . . . uhhhh . . . so what? Wait, how many people know about Yumi and me?" Ulrich asked, blushing when the subject of Yumi was brought up.

"You've got to be nuts," Od said, with a surprised face. "The question is who _doesn't _know about the two of you."

Ulrich looked ready to retort to Od's comment, when the rush back to the past engulfed them.


	12. Return to the Past Again

_Final Chapter! Don't be mad at me, the sequel is coming soon, I promise. This is a thank you to the people, who have reviewed this story as of now (November, 12 2004 2:21 pm) Raven's Wolf, magicalfairy12, code: lyokomaster, and Flammin Heart. You guys are the best! _:D

**Chapter 12**

**Return to the Past . . . Again**

When Kiko opened her eyes, she expected to see, hear, and feel her dorm room in Kadic, but something was wrong. The bed she was laying on was too soft, the smells different, and everything was quiet.

Kiko sat up with a jolt, turned on a light she knew would be next to her bed, and looked across the room into a mirror.

_**She was seven again!!!!**_


End file.
